Frugal Finds, CSA Week 6

WE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE!
Adam asked Allison Edwards to become his wife
on July 4th, out at our waterfall.
We are DELIGHTED that God has revealed His will for
their lives. REJOICE with us!

Greetings From Colvin Family Farm!

We're 1/3 of the way through our CSA season this

Franklin Farmer's Market

week, and we're amazed at how time is flying by! I pray that you and your family are enjoying the challenge of your weekly share of vegetables. The folks that I hear from that try our recipes are delighted with old favorites, such as pizza, that take on a seasonal twist with the addition of vegetables. I'm so happy for them.

           We pack all of the shares and market tubs of

Destany Brock helps
weigh and bunch swiss
chard outside my kitchen.

vegetables from our front porch. My kitchen at times becomes a bit muddy from feet going in...and feet going out...sinks of lettuce mix...and a huge 5 gallon salad spinner drying things off. I know one day when the packing shed is done I will miss all this activity close at hand. It's a daily challenge/blessing from Tuesday through Friday. 

After the trucks or vans have pulled out for the markets, and the house becomes strangely silent  I take my scavenger hunt through the porch...I have a bus tub on my hip and find all kinds of treasures...my frugal finds. This week I found

Some of my frugal
finds this week.

about 5 pounds of potatoes that had cuts or green spots, 6 stems of Swiss Chard, overripe or blemished tomatoes, a medium sized tub of zucchini and one of yellow squash, a lonely baby white eggplant, a bunch of kale that had been forgotten, and a few too-wet onions. What a haul! I was excited at the           possibilities. 

I've been seeing pictures of one pot pasta dishes that intrigued me...with my lack of energy, and busy days I thought this would be a neat idea to fiddle with. So, I rounded up several of my frugal finds and set about to create a meal with minimal fuss and bother!

This incredibly easy creamy vegetable pasta meal only takes about 20 minutes to prepare. Even better there is only one pot to clean up!

 One-Pot Vegetable Pasta

1 pound spaghetti

I love raw garlic;
it's soo easy to
use. Simply slice...

1/8 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 pound mushrooms, sliced in chunks

1 medium onion, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 small Eggplant, 1/3"slices 

4 1/2 + Cups Water (I added a cup of water to keep the pasta under water.)

1 Cup New Carrots, sliced thinly

1 Cup yellow summer squash, diced

1 Cup green zucchini , diced 

2/3 Cup Radish Seed Pods, whole

2-4 Basil Leaves, fresh (optional)
1/2 C. Grated Parmesan

1/4 C. Half & Half or Milk

Sea Salt & Coarsely Ground Pepper, to taste

Optional: Italian Sausage/Breakfast Sausage browned

1 pound mushrooms, sliced in chunks

1 medium onion, diced

Then remove the raw
garlic from the
"membrane" that
separates the cloves.

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 small Eggplant, 1/3"slices 

4 1/2 + Cups Water (I added a cup of water to keep the pasta under water.)

1 Cup New Carrots, sliced thinly

1 Cup yellow summer squash, diced

1 Cup green zucchini , diced 

2/3 Cup Radish Seed Pods, whole

2-4 Basil Leaves, fresh (optional)
1/2 C. Grated Parmesan

1/4 C. Half & Half or Milk

Sea Salt & Coarsely Ground Pepper, to taste

Optional: Italian Sausage/Breakfast Sausage browned

In a stock pot or dutch oven saute mushrooms, garlic, onion, and eggplant in olive oil until the onion is translucent. (If you are browning meat for the dish, now is the time to do it in with the onions and garlic.)Remove the larger slices of egg plant from the pot. Set them aside to cool. Add water and carrots and cook on medium high heat, 3 minutes. During this time dice the 

cooled egg plant. Next add the rest of the vegetables, salt & pepper, and spaghetti then 

bring to a boil. (You may need to add some water to just barely cover the pasta/vegetable mixture, I did.) Bring to a boil, STIR, then reduce heat. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until your spaghetti is done. Lastly, stir in your

choice of cheese and milk. I used Parmesan and raw milk that had a thick coating of cream at the top. Serve immediately. 

Recipe P.S.

Since I wrote the recipe as I was making it for the

first time I thought I'd add a P.S. The meal got a 4 rating (on a scale of 1-5). That's great as I rarely get a 5 unless from the children under 12. They reserve that rating for a WOW!! One addition they asked for

was MEAT...they aren't much for vegetarian dishes after a long day in the field with sandwiches for lunch. 

I was taken by the idea that the water would all be absorbed by the pasta creating a creamy texture

when the cheese and milk were added...and IT WORKED! You have to be careful and stir during the last few minutes of cooking to prevent sticking. 

This recipe would be a great meal for those days when you want a nice, quick meal. Even the preparation of the vegetables could be done early in the day or night before to hasten the process down to about 12 minutes! I plan on experimenting with this concept keeping the proportions of water to pasta the same. I'd love to hear your ideas...next time I'm trying a pizza pasta with diced tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic, pepperoni, and Italian spices! 

With the amount of zucchini that comes in at times I sometimes feel overwhelmed. I can shredded zucchini for the winter, make lasagna noodles out of it, use it in baking sweets, make pizza with it, grill it, roast it, stir fry with it, and even make a mock apple pie with it! Since I found a wash pan FULL of it I'm going to be using these frugal recipes this week. 

 To watch a video of me preparing this recipe YEARS ago, click HERE. But don't forget to come back! :)

Zucchini Pizza

8-Ball (round green) or 1-Ball Zucchini (round yellow), cut into 1/4" slices crosswise
Extra Virgin Olive Oil/Olive Oil Spray

Pasta sauce or pizza sauce
(small diced tomatoes will work also with Italian spices sprinkled on them)

Mozzarella Cheese or Feta Cheese

Your choice of pizza toppings:

Pepperoni

Onions, diced finely

Olives, chopped

Hot Italian Sausage, browned and crumbled

Bacon, chopped fine (my favorite!)

Sauteed greens, THINLY sliced

Bell Pepper, diced FINELY

Place slices of zucchini on baking tray. Brush or spray with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. Bake at 400 degrees until fork tender. Remove from the oven and put  a small amount of tomatoes or sauce on the slices. Next put chosen pizza toppings, ending with cheese.

 Return to the oven until the cheese is bubbly. Serve with a big salad or fresh fruit. ENJOY!

Among my frugal finds this week were several tomatoes that couldn't take the trip to the city. They were cracked, really ripe, or had blemishes. I gathered these up and canned them. I'm restricted on my activity, so I took time on two days to finish this small project...at least it got done. I was sure glad I learned a quickie method last year that saves a LOT of time, effort, and MESS! Here's what I did.

A Quickie Method to Canning Tomatoes

First I placed them in a sink of water to wash off the dust. Our tomatoes haven't been sprayed with chemicals, but they are dirty. 

Next I lifted them one at a time to my cutting board

to core them. After cutting them into at least fourths I put them into my food processor. Last year I used a blender. It worked fine, but it was harder to regulate how chunky the tomatoes ended up. I like how the processor lets me leave control the texture of the final product. NO, you DON'T HAVE TO REMOVE THE SKINS FIRST! You get the added health benefits of the fibrous skin as well as it being a time saver!  

At this point I poured mine into gallon pitchers and placed them in the frig. This could be done if you have a limited amount of tomatoes coming in on your plants at a time. Be careful not to let it sit too long and spoil. 

Two days latter I poured the tomatoes into a large pot and cooked them until they were heated through well. 

 Next I ladled the hot tomatoes into sterile jars. To raise the acidity of hybrid tomatoes (not needed for heirlooms) add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to each quart. If desired, add 1 teaspoon of sea salt or canning salt to each quart. Wiped the rims with a clean rag to remove any salt or juice. I process mine for 25 minutes in a boiling water bath canner. Remove them from the boiling water and place them on a towel on your counter. 

After a few hours, test each jar by touching the lid of each jar. It should not pop back and forth. It should be slightly depressed to be sealed. I let them sit on my counter for a day before I removed the bands and put into the pantry. 

Years ago we made the choice as a family to switch from sugary drinks like cool aide, tea, and even fruit juices to water. We've always had well water, so we called it Adam's Ale. :) Now that we have adults living in the home besides us parents we occasionally make ice tea to quench a deep thirst...but 95% of the time we drink water. This summer I came across a frugal find that enhanced

This dispenser fits right in my
refrigerator with the container
of lemons on top. Keep the
cap loose to help the water
to come out freely.

our water drinking...a refrigerator dispenser for $2. I keep a thin container on top with sliced lemons to make the water extra special (and good for us too!). I'd like to encourage everyone to rethink what you and your family drinks. The refined sugars are causing a myriad of health problems in our children, causing obesity, type 2 Diabetes, and behavioural problems such as ADD. Try drinking water...YOUR WATER. Invest into a filter which is far cheaper in the long run than buying and hauling around bottled water. I can guarantee you'll see changes in your children's disposition...and changes in your waistline! How much do you spend on drinks each week?

Since my accident I've redefined frugality in my mind. I used to think it was simply a savings of money. I spent extra time making granola, sewing our dresses, and growing our my own flower transplants...and MUCH MORE. Now that I'm limited, I also think in terms of time and strength savings. 

One of the time and effort savers for me is a skill

I've been learning since last summer. A friend 
taught me the basic method to making  artisan bread . Since then I've purchased  Health Bread in 5 Minutes a Day and am enjoying the convenience of the method. I don't use this recipe or method for our everyday bread, but make French Baguettes, Pizza dough, and Jalapeno Cheddar loaves to please my family with little time and effort. I'd

like to pass this on to you...it's an EASY method! I failed at the right chewy, crusty consistency to artisan bread for years. Now I'm delighted with this truly frugal means of providing healthy artisan bread for our family. The link above will take you to the Artisan Breads in 5 Minutes a Day site. 

I've made mock apple pies before with Ritz crackers,

but they never became a family favorite. This frugal recipe is made with overgrown zucchini that are peeled and cooked with lemon juice then sweetened and spiced to "perfection". It will fool "all but the most discerning palates". It works best with older, over gown squash as the young fresh squash will have a trace of bitterness that advertises the pie's vegetable origin. If you'd like some overgrown squash included in your share, JUST ASK!

Zapple Pie

Pastry for a 9" double crust

6 C. peeled, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced zucchini or summer squash

1/2 C. fresh lemon juice

3/4 C. firmly packed light or dark brown sugar (I use cane juice crystals with molasses mixed into it.)

1 1/2 t. ground Cinnamon

1/4 t. ground ginger

1/4 t. freshly ground nutmeg

2 T. instant tapioca

1 T. granulated sugar ( I use raw cane juice crystals)

1. Prepare the pie dough according to your recipe directions and refrigerate.

2. Combine the zucchini and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the zucchini is tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally for even cooking. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and simmer for 5 minutes longer.

3. Remove the zucchini from the heat. Stir in the tapioca and let set 15 minutes.

4.Preheat the oven to 425* with a rack on the lower third of the oven.

5. Spoon the zucchini mixture into the dough lined pie dish. Roll out the top crust on a well floured work surface. Flour your rolling pin and sprinkle flour onto your pastry. Roll your dough onto your rolling pin. Carefully unroll onto the top of your pie.  Trim the edge 1/2 inch larger than the pie plate and tuck the over hang under the edge of the bottom crust. Crimp the edges with a fork or make a fluted pattern with your fingers. Make several decorative slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. I like to use an apple cookie cutter to make the slits on top and add a little leaf or two to the stem slit.

6. Bake the pie in the lower third of the oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350* and continue to bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the top of the pie with the granulated sugar and continue to bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until the crust is golden and the juices are bubbly.

7. Cool the pie on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I gleaned this recipe years ago from a great book for seasonal eaters called, Serving Up the Harvest, Celebrating the Goodness of Fresh Vegetables by Andrea Chesman.

When I think of a vegetable that best represents frugality I think of zucchini. I feel like I've given too many recipes using it here this week, but you can refer back to these recipes during the weeks ahead when they appear in your share. 

Our melons are growing!

I want to include one more...a favorite of many customers at the Cumberland Sustainable Farmer's Market in Crossville last year. I like to think of it as a healthy snack as I grind my wheat, grate fresh zucchini, and use only a "touch" of chocolate. If you are looking for a frugal sweet, and zucchini is piling up in your frig, try this:

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

3 Eggs

1 C. Honey

1/2 C. Oil

1 t. Vanilla

3 T. Butter

6 T. Cocoa powder

2 C. Grated zucchini

2 C. Whole Grain Flour (not bread flour)

1 t. Salt

1 1/2 t. Cinnamon

2/3 C. Chocolate Chips

In mixing bowl combine eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla. In saucepan or microwave, melt butter and add cocoa powder. Set aside to cool. Grate zucchini. Mix zucchini, with cocoa powder/butter mixture and when cooled combine with egg mixture. Add flour, soda, salt, cinnamon. Mix only enough to blend. Dampen chocolate chips slightly in a small bowl. Coat with a few pinches of flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom of your bread. Fold into batter. Pour into 2 greased 8" pans. (I use bread pans or muffin pans.) Bake at 350 degrees until cake tester inserted comes out clean, depending on pan size.


I've tried to teach my children about being frugal also...we take it as a challenge! My boys are GREAT at bartering at the end of markets with other vendors. This

week they came home with bags of mushrooms, seconds of peaches, a bar of orange ginger soap, a jar of salsa, and a bunch of lavender to add to my collection in an antique bowl and pitcher on my dry sink. I consider these frugal finds also. 


When my young men were young we would go to my family home on the rocky coast of Maine. They enjoy memories of sleeping by an open window and

hearing the waves ebb and flow all night long. During the day they spent HOURS playing on the rocky beach discovering all the wonders of the coast that God created for their discovery. 

As a LARGE, single income family we found all sorts of frugal entertainment, and souvenirs while on vacation. One of the boy's favorite souvenirs were rocks...yes, to me they all began to look the same. BUT on closer inspection as I listened to the tales of where they found each "gem" I learned a few lessons.

In the morning after chores were completed, and the tide abated the children would swarm down the rock steps to the beach. They'd inspect each tidal pool in their "limits" collecting specimens from each one and placing them in their pails. Each new tide brought new treasures!

When their tired legs brought them back up the same stairs we'd have them dump their hoard of seashore finds onto the porch for inspection; for only the very best would be displayed

on the nature shelf in the living room. 

I remember one morning in particular when we went out to clean off the porch we found a rock that had a beautiful crystal like oval encircling its grey smoothness. The odd thing was that the night before it had been just like 50 other rocks in the pile. Now it stood out as a "keeper".  We learned that you couldn't really tell the true nature of each stone until it dried...it was then that rings appeared...the colors took on their true nature...and the excitement of the day before had died away.

How had these rocks...unlike the other jagged rocks in their "Tennessee Collection" grown so smooth, so polished, so...mysterious? They had been tossed by time in the continuous movement of the waves as the tides predictably washed up against the rocky ledge in front of our home.

Polish comes through troubles. I like to think of the waves in my life as lessons that God uses to knock off my rough edges...smoothen out my imperfections... and reveal the beauty He created in my spirit when He took control of my life. He alone knows how He wants to use me. Though my flesh may cry out, "Stop!" my spirit yields to the waves that will make me a vessel of beauty in His sight.

 Oh waves that tumble, oh hurts that pierce

 This shrinking heart of mine!

 What are ye but the Master's tools

 Forming a work Divine.

Abundant Blessings,

The Farmer's Wife

Val

After their hike to the waterfall
the new couple and Allison's parents returned
to the crowd to announce their engagement.

Levi (8) made our banner
this year...THANK YOU
LEVI!

We had over 40 people here...family and precious
friends to help us celebrate our nations heritage.
Here the Bennett family watch the fireworks begin.

Grandma Colvin (88) even held a sparkler!

Our oldest son Matthew (30) came from N.C. for the
holiday. He is a master at setting off beautiful
firework shows on our farm.

Hope (our 4th child) and Jeannie Brock
(our packing buddy) enjoy family and
friends on the 4th. Hope and Bryan catered the meal.
THANK YOU!!

Samuel (almost 3) and
Josiah (almost 1)
enjoy the festivities.

Shelby Bennett and
Caleb enjoy a feast on the
4th of July

We're thankful for a good tomato harvest!

Kohlrabi

Our piglets are sure growing! Please pray for their
Mommas...they've run off into the woods and probably joined
a herd of wild bores. 

Lettuce is being harvested again! Yeah!

Our chickens are enjoying fresh pasture.

Thank you Lord for the showers You send!

Another gift from a child...
this 1-ball zucchini was
brought straight from the
field this week...zucchini
is on everyone's minds!

Faith Anne (13)
sewed this kitty cat
purse and mouse for
a customer.

This unfriendly visitor was found among the burlap bags that we use
to mulch isles!

Noah and crew chased down
this baby bunny and caught it!
Those long legs of his are fast!

!

GIANTS

Colvin Family Farm
Week 5

Can you guess what is growing in
our high tunnels.

Greetings from the farm! It's week 5 in our CSA and with the variety of vegetables coming in, it will be a fun week to experiment in the kitchen! I did that today, but I'm getting ahead of myself...I'll show you latter what I made for dinner today.

Cooking has taken on a new challenge for me over the past few weeks. You see, 15 weeks ago I had an accident on the farm stepping over a pile of wood. One misstep, and a tomato stake (oak, about 4 1/2' tall) sprung up and smacked me square in the face, gashing my chin..I can see it to this day right between my eyes! Then there was a thud (I can still hear that too) as I landed on the back of my head on a rock. I've been recuperating from what they called a "mild concussion". (Really?!)   I won't go into all I've/we've been through since that life changing day, but it's been a long road of relearning skills, trying to remember clearly what I knew in the past, and a myriad of lessons the Lord has taught me through this trial. 

One such lesson is what I call, "Seeing Giants". When Moses sent the ten spies into the Promise Land to spy out the land, they saw giants. "And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight." Numbers 13:33 KJV As God taught me, giants stand for great difficulty in our lives. We all have giants stalking us.....in our families, in our workplaces, in our friendships, in our churches, even in our own hearts. If we do not overcome them, they will "eat us up" (vs.32) even as the eight spies said of the giants of Caanan.  

Eight? You said there were ten spies. Joshua and Caleb were the two of the ten spies that stood apart. They too saw the giants, BUT  they also saw God! They stood alone and said, "Let us go up at once and possess it, for we are well able." Joshua and Caleb, the spies who believed said, "for they are bread for us:" In other words, they knew that the nation of Israel would be stronger by overcoming them than if there were no giants at all to overcome. 

There are many "giants" in all of our lives. Here on the farm there are the giants of drought, flooding, plant diseases, financial hurdles, mechanical problems, time restraints, physical weariness, and relationships among the family members. If we face these  giants together as a family farm we will emerge stronger and more unified than if we had no struggles (giants) to face. 

 So, while laying for weeks recovering God has asked

me time and time again, "Will you face your  personal giants?" With His assurance that I'm never alone I answered, "Yes."

Giants in my mind appeared first...clouded with pain and confusion they marched forth. In the power of God's might I slew them one by one. Praise His name! A straggler appears in my mind occasionally ...should I lay down my "sword" in defeat? No, it's another chance to allow God to be strong through me.

Next, giants of my abilities and strengths appeared. Surely I thought confidently they'd be easily won...no, they had too had to be faced and won also in God's might till the giant called Pride lay dead at my feet. As I lay there on the "battle field" the Lord assured me He could still use me...but maybe in a different capacity. Was I willing? How could I, the humbled and weary solider do anything for my Lord than submit? 

Another giant loomed in my mind...the farm...it's future!  You see, I've had the joy to be there from the beginning. I helped the boys as toddlers tentatively plant their first seeds. I shared in their wonder as the plants emerged. I even watched two of them pull up perfectly healthy plants so they could, "see the roots they eat with". I designed their school work

around our LARGE raised bed gardens, figuring square feet, projected harvest per square foot, graphing the harvest, journaling their experiences, drawing plants and vegetables, and

calculating the savings from buying at the grocery stores all the while delving into books, magazines, and latter websites that feed their hunger for knowledge only found on the off beaten trail of the time of Sustainable Agriculture.  Then I also wrote their botany courses in high school which led to earning Distributive Education credits as we started our first CSA in Dayton in 2002. As young teenagers we set up at the courthouse and out marketed the old timers there. They learned to approach local restaurant

owners to present their Certified Naturally Grown produce, (we were the 3rd farm to be certified in the state of Tennessee) and to earn their respect through a long term relationship. They also took their leftover produce to the local United Grocery Outlet where they learned to package and resell what would have been counted a loss. 

These days are long gone, and the boys are now known as up and coming 
farmers. They've run a 300 member CSA during a flood and drought year, bought equipment straight from China without a middleman, established the farm in 9 farmer's markets, they've made their presence known on Face Book and Twitter, designed a website that is the hub of our business, taught a social media and the farm class at a southeast regional farmer's convention, and are learning every day to grow better, wiser, more efficiently. I'm proud of them. (Can you tell?) But back to my giant...it was time for me, their Momma to step aside and let her men stand alone with what the knowledge and wisdom God had given them. In reality I physically had done that a few years ago...but in my mind, I was right beside them...trying to teach...guard them from mistakes...and make sure they learned each lesson that a failure held. 

God gave me a picture of Jochebed, Moses' mother while copying Exodus. Jochebed, to me is the picture of trust. She trusted God to protect Moses after he was born, as the Pharaoh was killing all the male

babies. When she could no longer hide him, she made a little ark and daubed it with mud and pitch. All the while she was bent over the little ark daubing on the mud and pitch I see her praying to God for Moses' protection! My heart broke for Jochebed as she placed her 3 month old baby boy Moses in the ark, and then placed the ark into the alligator infested waters of the Nile!  As a mother of 13 children I could feel a lot of what she felt..then it struck me...I must be like Jochebed and pray and trust. I/we had "built the ark", (raised my sons for God and trained them as He directed) and now it was time to "set it to float on the Nile". So in my mind the giant of letting go fell...I must be like Jochebed and pray...watch...and pray some more!  I am confident that my sons will see God work MIGHTILY in their lives as Moses saw Him work in his IF they keep their faith centered on Him alone. 

Our Cinnamon rolls are now being sold
at the Crossville market. They're made
like our breads with freshly ground
wheat.

So, I'm now beginning to cook more. Cooking came easy for me after 33 years of marriage...now though it requires a great deal of thought, and calculation. I've faced my fears (giants) and will do all God gives me the                                                   strength and wisdom to                                             do. 

Until we restarted our CSA and began The Farmer's Wife letters in 2010 I've been content with old style cooking. Steaming, baking, stir frying...now the "foodies" of the Internet have raised the bar. Pintrest makes me feel like everyone else is creating "pinable" meals every night! In reality, my family likes simple fair with an occasional "WOW" meal when time and my energy allows it. When I cook, I must cook for around 18 as my HUNGRY farmer boys can really clean up a table! For most recipes it takes forever to do a

The meal we fed our work crew after
packing shares last Friday night.
Lasagna, Cold Pack Pickles,
Steamed Broccoli & Cauliflower, and
Zucchini Chips. The cheese and noodles 
were the only parts of the meal produced 
off the farm.

"pinable" meal for a crowd, whereas I can have lasagna for 30 in the oven in around a half hour. So my recipes will mostly be old time fare with an occasional "pinable" twist. Here is what I made today.

For this recipe I will not list quantities needed. You can picture what your family will eat as you cut up the vegetables. I stopped when I had two large 3/4 size cookie sheet full. 

Roasted Vegetable Medley

broccoli
zucchini

onion

red potatoes

green tomato

green beans

  Radish seed pods 

(Surprisingly voted our favorite vegetable!)

kohlrabi

Optional:

Chili Peppers

Jalapenos

Cut all the vegetables into small cubes. Place on a parchment lined pan that you have drizzled extra virgin olive oil on.  (The parchment paper saves clean-up time and prevents burning!) With clean hands toss the vegetables in oil. Judge whether you need more...they should be shiny, but not oily. Sprinkle with your favorite seasonings. We like garlic salt, season salt, or Cajun Seasoning. Place in HOT oven (450) for 15-20 minutes. If your pan is FULL, you will need to stir it a couple of times for even cooking. They will have browned areas and be slightly crispy when done. If you have a convection oven, lower the temperature 25 degrees and bake. Rotate the pan for even cooking. Serve hot!

This past week I had the privilege to invite three

young ladies to cook with me. (They really came to pack vegetables with my sons!) We had a great time making zucchini chips. I did find this recipe on Pintrest and thought of ya'll. It will be a long season of squash...so I'm always on the lookout for new ways to cook with squash. It will be in your shares for most of the season, and if you are like me any new ideas on how I can cook with it are greatly appreciated. This is one of those "pinable" recipes that wouldn't normally be a good fit for my kitchen feeding a crowd. But the old saying, "many hands make light work" rang true as I had three gals to help me try out this recipe. Allison,

Shelby, and Destany (my boy's "friends") chatted and enjoyed getting to know each other as we worked. (A squirt gun attack on the boys interrupted our cooking time...but it sure was fun!) The whole

work crew decided this recipe was a winner and should be included in the blog this week. 

Oven Zucchini Chips

2 medium zucchini (about 1 pound)

3 T. milk

1/4 C. grated Parmesan Cheese

1/4 C. plain dry bread crumbs

1/8 t. salt

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Either spray the cookie sheet with cooking spray or line it with parchment (recommended). First mix the bread crumbs with all dry seasonings. Next wash the zucchini, and slice it in 1/8" slices. Dip each zucchini round into  the milk, then into the seasoned bread crumb mixture, coating both sides. (It is best to move most of the bread crumbs to one side of your dish and only dip the wet zucchini into a small portion or you will have a hard time getting the crumbs to stick. If this happens, just press the crumbs into the slices as you coat them. Working with a small portion at a time helps prevent this.) Place them on your prepared cookie sheet. Spray with olive oil or canola cooking spray. Bake 25 -30 minutes until browned and crisp. Serve immediately.

This week has really been hot and muggy. I'm thankful that the mountain breeze continued to cool us down here on the farm. I'm also thankful I have about 2
 gallons of cold pack pickles (see last week's blog for the recipe)left in my frig! On these hot days I can dip
 some out to "cool off" a sandwich meal, or to add a zippy cool treat to an evening meal without extra work. We highly recommend you try this recipe! I'm going to try a new refrigerator pickle recipe prayerfully this week. 

Other great quick meals I fell back on this week were what we call "Chips and Cheese". This is a special treat, and the  older children can make them in single serve if they need to. We buy the large boxes of tortilla chips at Sam's. (I know they aren't the healthiest chip I could buy, but they are in our budget.) We also buy our shredded cheese there also in 5 pound bags. So, it turns out with the addition of our vegetables to be an inexpensive meal. We also like to serve our homemade salsa mixed with our canned pinto beans with the chips. So I reassure myself that there is some nutrients in it. This week I'm going to try sauteing thinly sliced Swiss Chard with onions and using this also as a topping like we did with the pizza in week 4.

Farm Style Chips and Cheese

onions, diced

cherry tomatoes, sliced in quarters

(or slicing tomatoes cubed)

Bell Pepper, cubed

Jalapeno Pepper, sliced thinly

Chili Pepper, sliced thinly

Salsa

Pinto or Black beans, drained

Place a single layer of tortilla chips on a baking pan. Sprinkle liberally with grated Cheddar Cheese. Top with your choice of vegetables. Place pan in 350 degree oven until cheese has melted and vegetables look "wilted". 

Simply mix a jar of salsa with your choice of beans. Heat and serve in a small bowl with the chips and cheese.

ENJOY!

 It was when the nation of Israel was going forward that the giants appeared. When they turned back into the wilderness the giants disappeared. So, forward I go facing my giants...who wants to wander in the dessert of life? I'm bound for the "Promise Land". Are you?

"We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey...and there we saw the giants... fear them not." 

Numbers 13:27-14:9

Abundant Blessings,

The Farmer's Wife

The Famer's Wife

Here's some more pictures of the farm this week!

The Farmer & His Wife

Late tomato seedlings went in. These will taste
great this fall!

A light moment
during packing.
Titus 

The children have been picking blackberries that have come into season.

The melon patch is looking good!

The boys cooling off after a long, hot day in the field.

Charity cooling off after a hot sticky day.

A little friend that came to visit this week. One of our ways
to kill bugs naturally in the fields.